UNCONVENTIONAL SOLUTIONS FOR UNCONVENTIONAL WATER RESOURCES. ADDRESSING SUSTAINABILITY, BANKABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY CONSTRAINTS By Mrs. Patricia López Senior Water Specialist, Water Global Team, World Bank
This concise article provides a summary of the key takeaways from the panel discussion titled "Unconventional solutions for unconventional water resources: Addressing sustainability, bankability, and affordability constraints." The panel brought together influential representatives from the water sector, including senior delegates from policy and public administration, private sector investment, and multilateral financing. The discussion revolved around the importance of public-private collaboration to increase investment and financing for global and country-level water security goals, with a focus on desalination and reuse as commonly known "unconventional solutions."
and performance, as well as establishing and regulating water pricing mechanisms. The participants specifically stressed the importance of strategic investment planning by the public sector, including ensuring land and permit availabilities, to attract private investment and expedite the execution of infrastructure projects through public-private partnership arrangements. The panelists emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration between the public and private sectors to align their roles in facilitating investments and financing. They highlighted the crucial role of the public sector in creating favorable conditions for both public and private investment, such as implementing policies and regulations to improve sector governance
Furthermore, the panel reflected on the significance
of
improving
the
technical
performance and financial sustainability of water service providers to achieve creditworthiness and access to financing. They also highlighted the need for continued engagement from the private sector in finding innovative solutions and providing financing and expertise while
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